The earliest stepwells (known also as
baori) are speculated to have been built during the 1st millennium AD (some sources placing them in the 6th century AD, while others say they were first built between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD). The construction of stepwells developed over time and by the medieval period they became complex structures that showcased a mastery of engineering, architecture, and art.
Hence, the best-known stepwells today date to this period of Indian history. Stepwells continued to be built in India, and it has been estimated that by the 19th century there were several thousand stepwells in existence.